"Clams" to Dollars (Currency conversion)

"Clams" to Dollars (Currency conversion)

02-17-2007, 08:12 AM

Okay - I've got a coupla buddies on a cigar board I frequent, and one of 'em says there's a 5-pack of a certain cigar available for "10 clams". Somebody else chimes in with something like, "I'd sure like to know where that is, because the cheapest I can find 'em is $20!". Original poster replies that "10 clams" is $20.

I checked my favorite online conversion site, and did a search, and there apparently is no conversion rate available for clams to dollars!

A very long time ago, clamshells strung together were used in trade by the Native American Indians. Eventually clam became slang for money. Though this is just a theory as nobody really knows exactly how clam became slang.

Comment

I was searching for this when I came across your post. But I saw an exhibit a couple years ago at the Smithsonian: I believe it was during the Depression that some town(s) used clam shells as currency, but I just heard the word used for dollar on Boardwalk Empire (which was set in the 20's) so I'm trying to confirm.

In any case it has nothing to do with Indians (native to America or to Asia.)